1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains generally to projectile games, and more particularly to practice training aids which may assist a golfer in perfecting a golf swing. In one manifestation, the invention is a swing path indicator using horizontally spaced barriers made from guides and golf tees, which permits a golfer to monitor golf club head movement.
2. Description of the Related Art
Golf is a sport which has maintained much popularity over the years. In part, this may be because the sport is widely played by all age groups and both sexes. The rules are generally simple and readily understood, and the activity usually quite refreshing, conducted many times in very scenic and pleasant surroundings. However, as with most sports, mastery of the sport requires diligent training and much practice, and even then is essentially never fully achievable. Consequently, those golfers who have found ways to improve the efficiency of their practice have also been able to improve more quickly than their counterparts, with less practice time. This improved efficiency not only permits one to be better in the same amount of time, the overall enjoyment of the sport is improved, since less time is required in practice or drill, and more time may be spent enjoying the course and the competition.
In simplest terms, golf is simply a matter of propelling a club into a golf ball, which in turn rebounds from the club. More subtly, ball travel is influenced by relative motion occurring between club face and ball at the time of impact and contact therebetween. Consequently, various intended and unintended spins and travels are possible, depending upon the orientation of the club face and the relative motion between club and ball. Since drives of several hundreds of yards are possible, even very minor deviations in motion between club and ball at contact may result in very substantial deviations between where the ball was intended to go to and where it actually ends up.
In order to improve upon one's strokes, a common practice is to visit the driving range, where many balls may be hit in succession. With this type of training, a golfer will observe the path, or flight, that the golf ball takes after being stricken with the golf club. Based upon the trajectory, the golfer may impute a particular swing motion which may or may not be desirable. Unfortunately, a golf swing, particularly a drive, incorporates motion derived from many different parts of the golfer's body, such as, though not limited to, their shoulders, arms, hips, knees, and back. As but one example of the complexity that this introduces, those familiar with golf will recognize that what appears to be a slice may originate from a single sideways cut, or travel, transverse to the intended travel of the ball, but may also be derived from an “s” pattern in the golfer's swing. Correction of the swing will depend upon which motion is being produced by the golfer, since movement from different body parts may be the underlying cause for the ineffective swing. Unfortunately then, simply observing the flight of the ball will not always provide sufficient information for the golfer to accurately correct the swing error.
Another approach is that of visual monitoring or observation, either with a camera or through a second person monitoring the golfer. The use of a camera is not without significant hurdle or challenge. First and foremost is finding suitable placement of the camera. If the camera is placed in the general direction of ball travel, the golfer will be provided with the best optical vantage point to critique the swing. However, golfers will typically vary in placement of the ball, depending upon relatively minor variations, or sometimes major variations, in their swing. When the camera is in the general path of the ball, that also means the camera is in harm's way. There have been many instances where valuable video equipment has been destroyed by the impact of a very hard golf ball.
Unfortunately, the only other vantage point suitable for critiquing one's swing is that from nearly above the golfer, since side and back views will not provide any information regarding the path of the golf club head. As may be apparent, the apparatus required to elevate the camera is at best very awkward, and will present hazards of its own.
The use of an extra person to observe the golfer offers many benefits and advantages. Particularly where the observer is a seasoned golfer, the observer may then be able to instruct the golfer in particular techniques that may be of great benefit to the golfer. However, the use of an instructor, or even a less-skilled observer, requires two people for the golfer to train and improve. These two are the golfer and the observer. Consequently, economically, this approach is less desirable, since two people are required for the training or betterment of one and the coach will frequently require compensation. Furthermore, many golfers may be somewhat shy about their own need for practice and improvement, and may be unwilling to expend funds to retain such a coach.
Recognizing the need for better ways by which golfers may improve, without the embarrassment of an observer or the expense and risk associated with a camera, others have heretofore developed various swing training aids. One such patent which is exemplary of this body of prior art is U.S. Pat. No. 4,913,440 by Ellington, the teachings which are incorporated herein by reference. Ellington discloses a practice mat with holes in a pattern that support and receive a substantially modified golf tee and swing guide posts. The guide posts, which may be placed in various custom locations, serve as obstacles which may be useful for checking one's swing path. Unfortunately, when one swings with intent for distance, such as with a drive or long chip, the obstacles illustrated therein will seriously interfere with the golfer's movement, which may cause harm to either the golfer or the equipment, or may instead cause the mat to fly without the ball having been cleanly struck.
An earlier U.S. Pat. No. 2,152,381 by Harpster, the teachings which are also incorporated by reference, illustrates indicators that are knocked over when the golfer's swing deviates from the most desired path. Another similar variant using swing path indicators, the teachings which is also incorporated herein by reference, is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,786,833 by Ahrend. While these swing path indicators have much intrinsic possibility, they lack desirable ease and low cost of manufacture, and they are not readily transported by a golfer onto a course or other practice location owing to their necessary slightly larger and more obtrusive geometry.
Several additional patents illustrate parallel rails in swing training aids, which in turn may be used to force the swing path to follow the path of the rails. The teachings of these are likewise incorporated herein by reference, and include U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,023,811 by DeCota; 5,350,177 by Furbush; 5,411,266 by Guthry, and 5,320,355 and 5,785,604 by Johnson. Other patents are also incorporated herein by reference for their respective teachings, including: U.S. Pat. No. 3,166,326 by Mundy III; U.S. Pat. No. 2,712,939 by Harp; Des 277,886 by Murphy; Des 402,347 by Murphy; Des 406,298 by Murphy; U.S. Pat. No. 5,882,267 by Roe; U.S. Pat. No. 6,773,357 by Tai et al; U.S. Pat. No. 5,776,007 by Kendall et al; Des 470,906 by Shaw; Des 332,817 by Mullen; U.S. Pat. No. 2,992,005 by Lockhart; U.S. Pat. No. 3,899,179 by Vlach; U.S. Pat. No. 5,042,814 by Bennett; U.S. Pat. No. 5,362,057 by Arima; U.S. Pat. No. 5,910,053 by Scalise; Des 234,210 by Menendez et al; Des 311,568 by Jacques; Des 336,618 by Smith; and Des 338,940 by Pellington.